Jens Thorvald Høeg

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Current research

My general research focus is on the biology and evolution of Crustacea. Most of my work concerns barnacles (Cirripedia) and their closest relatives. Barnacles are perfect for studying evolutionary specializations. Being permanently sessile, the adults deviate drastically from the crustacean ground pattern and have radiated into forms so different as highly reduced parasites (Rhizocephala) and filter feeders (Thoracica). This has entailed extreme modifications of larval development, metamorphosis and reproduction strategies. Research tools comprise culturing of larvae for experiments related to settlement, reproduction and ultrastructural analysis. Data from adults and larvae is pulled together to obtain a better understanding of cirripede evolution and phylogeny. To this is added molecular tools to analyze evolutionary patterns. In this context microsatellites are used to study the population biology of parasitic barnacles in both Danish systems and in a species that has migrated through the Suez Canal into the Mediterranean.